


The Truth Is

by thegeekmonkey (laursaur)



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-26
Updated: 2013-05-26
Packaged: 2017-12-13 00:44:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/817965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laursaur/pseuds/thegeekmonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Beth Childs contacts Alison Hendrix with the news that they are clones, Alison's world gets turned upside down as she forms a bond with her newfound genetic identical</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Truth Is

_Where is Beth?_   
_Uh. She’s dead._   
_What?_

Alison leans back into the seat of her minivan and wonders if she could just sink into the cushions and disappear. Closing her eyes, Alison reminds herself that she needs to keep breathing steadily and wishes dearly that she’d thought to take her anti-anxiety medicine before she left the house. She starts going through her schedule for the week in an effort to focus her attention on something. When she gets to soccer practice on Thursday afternoon, Alison hears a car pull up next to her own and swiftly opens her eyes.

A black car sits in the parking space to her right. The windows are too tinted for Alison to discern the driver’s appearance beyond a shadowy figure. It seems like forever before the door opens, but before Alison can take in the stranger, her own passenger door has opened and closed.

Next to Alison sits a woman who could be her physical mirror image, save for the differences in haircut, posture, and dress. Alison feels the anxiety and terror begin to take over as she realizes how real this situation has become. When this woman originally contacted her, Alison had thought it was a prank call from some of the neighborhood kids; but the calls didn’t stop until Alison finally agreed to meet. Now she sits here with someone who is herself and a stranger all in one. The other woman introduces herself.

Beth.

_I’m sorry. She killed herself.  
No… Nope. No. She wouldn’t do that. That’s impossible._

By the time Thursday afternoon has rolled around, Alison finds focusing on soccer practice difficult. Her meeting with Beth had shoved Alison through the looking glass. On top of that, she feels drawn to Beth, as though Beth is Alison’s own white rabbit, leading her further and further into Wonderland.

_Well, I’m sorry. I saw her do it.  
No. That can’t be._

Going out in public with Beth makes Alison’s anxiety skyrocket. Before now, they only met in secluded places. Today is different though. Today, Alison and Beth sit in a small café in a town where no one knows their names. Today, they intend to meet another one of… them.

Someone nearby makes a joke about the two of them being related, pulling Alison out of swarming worries. She looks and fights to keep her composure as she can already sense judgmental opinions fighting to form how she feels about the newcomer, but it’s too late. Alison watches Beth speak with the woman that Alison can only describe as “different.”

Beth turns and gestures towards Alison expectantly; introductions are underway.

Alison says her name a little too quickly and loudly. At her outburst, a few people around the café turn and look over and stare, taking in the three, near identical women.

The woman with the dreads replies with her own name: Cosima. She makes a joke about the situation, but Beth just stares at her, waiting to get to business.

_Can we get back to Beth, please? Suicide? I don’t accept that._

Alison tells Beth she wants to learn to shoot as soon as their meeting with Cosima ends. Before Alison can explain that she needs to protect her children, Beth says it’s a great idea and asks when Alison wants to start.

Alison, I’m very sorry about Beth, okay? But she was losing it, like, clinically.

Even with ear protection and ample warning, hearing gunfire in person for the first time in her life sends a jolt down Alison’s spine.

She watches as Beth points to the different parts of the gun, explaining what they do—as Beth shows how to properly hold the gun, her fingers wrapping around the grip—as Beth takes her stance, emphasizing the best posture—as Beth pulls the trigger back, just one finger curling around and applying force until—

BANG!

Beth offers the gun to Alison, and she tentatively takes it, adjusting to the weight of it in her hand. Alison mimics Beth’s actions as best she can. Taking aim, she squeezes the trigger and closes her eyes, flinching in preparation for recoil.

When Alison finally opens her eyes again, she knows she missed the target. She turns to look at Beth and her body slumps a little. Feelings of frustration and anger at herself consume Alison. She tells herself that she’s a failure and ridiculous for thinking she could do this; only an idiot would believe that she, a useless, stuck-up, suburban housewife, could protect her family from the monsters who created her and made it impossible for Alison to just be normal.

Alison’s entire body is shaking when Beth reaches out to her, first resting one hand on Alison’s shoulder before using her other hand to gently take the gun from the obviously distraught woman. Beth guides Alison so that she’s sitting on the ground and wraps Alison in a hug.

There is something about the embrace that heats Alison’s entire body and relaxes her. She wants to go to her car and take her anti-anxiety medication and go home and have a nap and forget about all her problems. Tears begin to stream down Alison’s cheeks.

Beth lets go of Alison, keeping a hand on each of Alison’s shoulders, and looks into a pair of eyes identical to her own, save for the redness starting to appear. Alison closes her eyes when she sees Beth’s hand approaching her face and allows the other woman to wipe away the tears. She doesn’t open her eyes and instead listens to Beth speak. Her voice is low, much deeper than normal; it soothes Alison and dulls her sense of anxiety.

The words wash over Alison. Occasionally, some of them stick: descriptions of the type of gun Beth uses, affirmations that Alison has it in her to protect her family, explanations of how Beth is using the money to get information, references to Cosima’s latest update on their genetic relationship.

Eventually Beth offers to drive Alison home and suggests that they reschedule the shooting lesson.

_Beth taught me how to shoot. For that, I am grateful to her._

This time, Beth walks her through the process more slowly, guiding Alison’s hands and body to the best positions. Beth takes the time to make sure Alison holds the gun properly and explains how it’s important for the hands to fit together like puzzle pieces. She directs Alison to lift her arms up. Beth points out the notches on the top of the gun and tells Alison how to make sure they line up properly. Putting her hands on Alison’s hips, Beth turns Alison’s body to face the correct way.

The touch catches Alison off guard, and her body jumps a bit in reaction to the contact. Beth pauses; worrying that something has triggered Alison’s anxiety, she removes her hands from Alison’s waist.

Alison can feel the blood rushing to her face. She lets her arms drop to her sides, but doesn’t turn around. Half formed thoughts race through Alison’s mind, colliding and trying to become full-fledged ideas. Instead, her head is filled with malformed notions and feelings she can’t understand.

_I’m sorry you lost her. But anything you can tell me about her will help._

It’s like being a teenager again. Fumbling hands, steamed windows and hot breaths are making a comeback. Something new and wrong and exciting and blissful begins that afternoon in the backseat of a black car parked next to a minivan.

_I fail to see how someone like you can fill Beth’s shoes._

She’s collapsed onto the table in her craft room, one cheek pressed against the cold, wooden surface. Alison gently cradles a bottle of wine in her arm.

The outside door to the basement creaks. Alison wants to react, to grab her new gun, to protect herself, but she can’t bring herself to lift her head off of the table, let alone get up. She hears footsteps approaching, and someone lays on hand on Alison’s back. Someone says her name softly and kisses her cheek.

Beth.

_The truth is, I hardly knew Beth. She was all business, but I admired her. She didn’t pry. She was discreet._


End file.
